Tank Sports 250 Touring Scooter Review

This is a disaster scooter. I did some homework before I got this bike. But the problem was that this version just came out in 2008. I trusted the 2007 reviews and decided to get it.

Problems started the very first week and in less than 400 miles. The coil burned as I have been told. $300 later I got the bike back and the dashboard stopped working.

Then the lights stopped working. All these before even 600 miles.

I did everything to return it from where I bought (RabbitScooters) to no avail! I even sent it to the distributor facility in LA for fixing the bike. I got the bike back and guess what, it didn't even turn on!

Another $200 later, the gas indicator is not working. At 5500 RPM it starts ripping and stalling! It has so many problems that I don't know where to start.

Poor material quality

Unreliable

Very heavy

Underperformed (No torque)

Very hard to put gas on

Non functioning knobs that even the seller knew what it was for!Just stay away from it. Don't even think about it. Not worth it at all.

Comments for Tank Sports 250 Touring Scooter Review

Just got this scooter from my brother, he said that the power was down and I like to tinker and thought it would be a fun project I could sell for a few $'s.

Its got no power and doesn't idle. From what little I found online sounds like I will be taking it completely apart and putting back together.

Any advice or direction toward a manual would be much appreciated. Thanks!

May 01, 2015Rating

sirs or to whom ever.NEWby: Anonymous

this must be the crash burn account because i see not many good comments makes the rate pages

May 01, 2015Rating

sirNEWby: sam

I've had one since 2006. I have 6,000 miles on it. At 5500 miles i replace brake pads.I put a rear tire on it. And still sailing alone at 60-70 miles per hr. I think iknow why everybody's bashing them but i'm not sure so i won't say. I just know two other guys who got there's at the same time and we've had very little issues other than the normal things that happen to all bikes.I'm approaching 7,000 and still clicking right along. I have a 2006 250 Deluxe Touring Edition.

May 01, 2015Rating

sirNEWby: sam

I've had one since 2006. I have 6,000 miles on it. At 5500 miles i replace brake pads.I put a rear tire on it. And still sailing alone at 60-70 miles per hr. I think iknow why everybody's bashing them but i'm not sure so i won't say. I just know two other guys who got there's at the same time and we've had very little issues other than the normal things that happen to all bikes.I'm approaching 7,000 and still clicking right along. I have a 2006 250 Deluxe Touring Edition.

Nov 08, 2011Rating

Re: VIN #by: 2 Wheel Toystore LLC

I do not know about other Dealers but there are so many diverent Manufact. that it is impossible to know where all Vin# are, the only one which is needed is the one in the Frame that is the only one which can not be changed. all secoundary # are riveted ore screwed on and only reverence # nothing else.

Nov 08, 2011Rating

Tank is working for me.....by: jbtexas

bought my tank touring 250 DE 3 months ago when it had 228 miles on odometer. Have close to 1500 now and only problem I had was headlamp bulb going out....$4.95 to replace.
I had mechanic give complete tune up and changed out all the fluids, tightened up all nuts and bolts and put in new screws where needed for less than $75.00. I get on freeway daily, 75mph without problem and it rides great on surface streets. I must be lucky one, but has been good scooter for me...

For newbies. Before removing the scooter from the premises, check the VIN tag against the Title. Also, make sure the B&M dealer can tell you where the other VIN is located. If the dealer is unable to do so; then, you are in the process of being scammed.

Jan 17, 2011Rating

Radio and alarm drains the batteryby: Paul

I only got to enjoy my Tank Touring 250cc once I had an electrician remove the alarm system and radio. Since then, the battery doesn't run down, and it starts reliably. My sister had the same problem with the 150cc model.

Definitely enjoying mine! Great way to get to work each day, compared to a DeVille that get 12mpg!

Sep 27, 2010Rating

Buyer Bewareby: Anonymous

I'm a skilled motorcycle mechanic. I bought a brand new Tank 150cc Sport Deluxe back in 2006. Bought it mainly just to play with and to see what the Chinese were up to.

Paid about $1350 after tag, tax, and everything. Don't even think about getting one of these bikes unless you are very confident of your mechanical repair abilities. It was so poorly assembled that I had to take it mostly apart and reassemble it.

Peeled all of the ridiculous stickers off it. Two of the most disturbing things were the gasoline overflow that dumped anything over 2/3 tank all over the engine & the loose head bolt on the front steering.

I swear, they must have been smoking dope when they put this together. Also, I discovered that the parts for my Tank were manufactured in China, but it was assembled in Mexico.

Wiring is horrible. Anyhow... I've got about 2500 kilometers on the clock now. The fuel gauge doesn't work anymore. But - it's still a lot of fun to ride around town on.

Rides two up just fine. Good little bike to go to the corner restaurant on. Will do an honest 60mph. Had it all the way up to about 73mph once. Don't try to go on the interstate on this thing.

I have over 8000 miles on mine.Its actually been an OK bike, up until the stater bailed out. But as most of you know if you get one of these scooters, do yourself a favor and get dirty.

Check all their so called work. If it wasn't for others who have owned these and told me to look for myself, I'm sure I would have wound up stuck somewhere. I'm in Montana and I've had mine more than once up to 88 miles per hour. Not a good idea to try and ride those at that speed... Freaky, LOL.

Will run 78 all day long. And mine has plenty of power. I'm thinking that there's a real good chance I got one in a million that wasn't a totally screw up. Just be smart take it apart. Oh and for you who might be getting any of these scooters, change the valve stems on the tires. They will break off on you.

Apr 15, 2010Rating

Many People Here LOVE Chinese Scootsby: Kathi

Actually, "Anonymous", there are many readers here who've had great experiences with Chinese scoots in many of the brands you mention. It seems to come down to a commitment to learning how to redo some things in your scooter before you ever drive it and then knowing how to maintain it with a lot of care as you go along or finding a local shop/mechanic that will do it for you. Many of my readers seem to think it's worth it to do that considering how cheap they got their scooters.

Always two sides to every coin...

Sorry you had such a terrible experience, though.

Apr 13, 2010Rating

Scooters bought on Galbraith Road in Cincinnatiby: Anonymous

If you buy a scooter buy a scooter that has a name brand. These VOGS, Tanks and the like, are a piece of crap. I bought my wife a tank and we barely got 1500 miles on it. It wont start its just a piece of junk for $1500.00 dollar brand new and the S.O.B that's sold it to us has a new shop on GALBRAITH ROAD in Cincinnati, Ohio. In Short. DON'T BUY THESE SCOOTERS THEY AREN'T WORTH THE RUBBER ON THE TIRES.

Apr 09, 2010Rating

Tank MSOby: 2 Wheel Toystore LLC

Find a used car dealer, he should be able to help you, (If he wants).

Apr 09, 2010Rating

Tank MSO??by: Anonymous

I bought a used Tank 150cc from someone who had never registered or titled it. Now I can't register it because the title that they got from the dealer they bought it from is not completed correctly. The dealer has closed down, the people have moved, and TANK has gone under!! Does anyone know how to get some kind of legal title for one of these things! I'm in SC!

Mar 30, 2010Rating

250 taank touringby: Anonymous

Have had nothing but problems with this scooter...It has been in the shop more than I have ridden it. Now it doesn't run at all...Waste of hard earned money...

Feb 19, 2010Rating

you get what you pay forby: Biker

Tank,Roketa,...and whatever else these things go by. Look its simple, cheap scooter=cheap parts and quality but I love cheap things because I know how to fix them for cheap...I have a roketa and I love it just change the oils and make sure to assemble it like a factory work shold before you even ride it and well there you go cheap scooter and fun ride....

Jan 28, 2010Rating

Cheap Chinese Qualityby: @ Wheel Toystore LLC

HMMMM, you must have a great knowledge about Chinese Manufacturers and there scooters.
At the time where I visited China in 2006 there where 105 Manufacturers pushing out approx. 15-20 million Motorcycles and scooters.
Now for one fact I would love to sell American scooters but how much would they cost and would the quality be better? I don't think so,sad to say. even Japanese and European are much higher priced. Why can'twe act like adults and be happy with what we can afford and not what we would like to own. Like I wrote earlier, most of the time it does not matter where it comes from and how much it cost but how much we care about it.
I see and hear it every day that people think it fact that it is a " CHEAP " scooter they do not have to care about it or the maintenance is cheap to or you may drive "regular" cheap gas and and and. The year 2009 was a very bad year for every business and only the strong will survive, the Goverment is not helping Mainstreet and a lot more businesses will be closing. God help and bless us all.

Jan 28, 2010Rating

Tank Sports update....by: EyesLooking

I haven't been on for a long while and decided to browse ScootDawg; then, I noticed one of the members informing everyone of Tank Sports closure.

Yes, Tank Sports did file for bankruptcy! I would not be surprised if they opened elsewhere & under a new name.

Oct 23, 2009Rating

Cheap Chinese Qualityby: Anonymous

It's not just the Tanks. There's only a few plants cranking out scooters in China, but tons of sellers that "Brand" them and sell them as their own unique scooters.

I got a Eagle 150-T from a place shipping them in and putting them together. Got a great deal on it ($800). Almost all Chinese 150cc scooters use a GY6 clone engine. However, they use inferior parts in critical areas.

For instance, the belt is usually rubber instead of Kevlar. The carb tends to be a cheap POS that will crap out on you at about 5000 miles (see tons of this happening to Chinese 150cc scoot owners).

The rubber on the back tire will be near bald at 5000 miles. Other sellers will use even cheaper parts in mission-critical areas (EG: electrical), and that's why TANKs haven't been as good as others ... They're essentially the same as, say, a Jonway, but TANK decided to be a bit cheaper on parts, to the detriment of their customers.

China's 250cc scoots are also almost built exactly the same, and thus almost all suffer from the same almost-capable radiator. These radiators are barely sufficient, and thus cause overheating issues. Idiot customers not checking fluids and changing them out after 100 miles is also the problem. But, if the instructions that come with the bike are unclear, how are they supposed to know?

Fortunately there's a Chinese scooter shop close to where I live. I had to take my Eagle in for checking when it was having issues at... you guessed it... 5000 miles. I was speaking with the service guy in the back, and he told me they don't just ship in, put together and sell the bikes. No, they know where the kinks are, and replace faulty stuff as they're putting them together.

So, they swap out the belts for a Kevlar one. They upgrade the radiator on the 250s to a better one. They re-route some wiring that's known to get frayed from rubbing certain ways. This causes the price to go up some, but then they slap on a 12 month warranty/guarantee to cover you in case something blows up.

He was also honest about how China's trying to sell Trikes now, but while they build and ship them, they don't have enough spare parts to go around. So, you get these trikes made inferiourly blowing out rearends, but you can't get parts to fix them. He said they were planning on selling some, but after he got two, ran them for a bit and noticed this issue, he wasn't going to sell them to customers.

It costs them more time and money when they have to fix issues a customer comes back with. So, they just found the common issues, fix them ahead of time, and everyone's happy. I was pretty impressed at how proactive they were about it.

Oct 10, 2009Rating

Chinese scooters in generalby: Anonymous

I have a Bali 250 with over 3000 miles on it. Runs great! I do all my own maintenance so it is a great deal for me. But on other scooter forums, I notice alot have trouble with Vog, Tank, and ect.. Now alot can be due to lack of knowledge about how to upkeep the scoots.

Read alot of recent articles where riders rode their Vogs, Tanks out of antifreeze. That is obviously their fault and not the manufacturers. On my manual, it says to check front and rear shocks to make sure tight, check axle bolts to make sure tight, check engine mounts to make sure tight( these things need checking every 1000 km or 620 miles..

But how many people do this? How many people check oil on a regular basis, antifreeze level, gear oil, filters, adjust carb, inspect tires, adjust valves, check brake fluid, ect.. Now cheap parts the Tank 250 Touring Scooter was known to be carry cheaply made parts. It depends on the manufacturer to say was parts are used.

Like Tank came out with a 250 that looked like the Roketa 250 Bali scooter. The people complained the the Tanks would not run right but the Roketa Bali's ran good. The were manufactured in the same building..The Tank had a leather looking seat and the Roketa has a vinyl seat. So they are put together differently. The Vog, Tank, xy260 are all the same scooter from looks, but different manufacturers have different parts.

But the Roketa Bali 250 has some over 10,000 miles now and thus they are the superior scooter rather than Tank. I put about $150 in my scooter per year, get 70 mpg, does 80 mph, and is great. I had one guy ask, where his radiator cap was after he thought he had blown the cylender. That he put 15W 40 motor oil in the gear oil spot.

How can one expect to ride around on a scooter and not know where everything goes? He was more or less telling everyone on this forum, that he rode his Vog until it dropped without adding anything to it.

Sep 24, 2009Rating

Tankby: Doug

I've been reading forums about Chinese scooters for the last four years. Their is some problems that Tanks has been addressing, and they did have some problems for a while, personally the VOG is not one that I would want to own. But if you buy one the best idea is to get it from a good local dealer that stands behind it, they do exist. I'm not a dealer.

I purchased my scooter used from a dealer with 1,100 showing on the odometer and it had been wrecked. Needless to say I got it cheap.

I am a mechanic, so I knew I would have no trouble working on it. The first thing I did was remove every panel on it and inspect everything. It needed a lot of work!

There were lots of stupid assembly problems. The wiring harness was improperly installed with future problems guaranteed such as being pinched between a steel brake line and the steel frame. It was also being pinched between the frame and seat bucket. While I was rerouting the wiring I packed marine waterproof grease in all the connectors. This prevents corrosion problems. Chinese hose rubber is crap so I replaced all of it. I flushed the cooling system using quality coolant.

I have heard of Chinese equipment coming from the factory with green food coloring in water so they could save a few bucks. I also flushed out the Chinese brake fluid. I used plastic weld two part epoxy to repair body panels, this worked very well.

The brake light switches needed some work to operate properly. The brake lever had to be pulled in very hard for the scooter to start and the brake lights come on. The only way to adjust them is to remove them and carefully grind away a small amount of material to reduce the amount of lever travel required. One of the switches showed some heat damage due to the current passing through it. I subsequently installed standard automotive relays removing high current across the brake switches as well as the headlight high/low switch and the radiator fan switch.

After doing all this work I have very good service from it. I now have 28,843 showing on the odometer. My variator rollers have started rattling so I know they are worn out. I just ordered Dr. Pulley sliders to replace them.

Would I buy another Chinese scooter? Yes, but only because I can do my own work. If you can do basic mechanic work, a Chinese scooter is an exceptional deal. If you can't do your own service work stay away from them.

Aug 06, 2009Rating

No problem for me yetby: Wayne

I bought a new 2009 version of the Tank Touring DE this year. I am up to 1523 kilometers (953 miles) and the only problems I have had so far are 1) the end of the oil dipstick broke off and2) one of the headlights was not working on low beam, replacing the bulb fixed it.

I have been very happy with it so far. I bought from a dealer, I think a lot of the problems come from people buying on the internet and not doing a pdi.

The dealer I bought from said Tank used to have their scooters made by several different manufacturers in the past, but this year they started having them all made by Tank.

He says the quality of their scooters have been the best he has ever seen this year. If I remember correctly, he said the ones he had the most problems with in the past were ones that were made by Jonway.

Hoping I don't have too many problems in the future, but so far I have been very satisfied with my purchase.

Jul 04, 2009Rating

POS Tank Scooterby: Sick of Tanks

Purchased mine from a dealer as I figured I would get support rather than relying on some internet purchase. Boy was I ever wrong. Mine had 250 miles and now I can't get the engine to turn over. Dealer says they won't look at it... grrrrr

Tried using the pathetic wiring diagram, but that's another POS it does not even match the wiring for the scooter. The thing rattles and most of the panels are loose. pulled it apart and put silicone on the joints which has helped the rattling significantly.

I wish the damn thing had a kick start. My recommendation... spend the $ and buy a reputable scooter

Jun 28, 2009Rating

Hurray for online salesby: kz1000st

That's nice Mark and in many cases, true. But I found a good online seller in GSmotorworks.com. Where I live there were no reasonably priced scooter sellers last year during the high gas prices. Just used car lots selling China scoots for $2000 or more. Plus they didn't service them, it was "hail and farewell".

Now there are China scoot dealers about 50 miles away and at that they're a QLink dealer. What will that cost me? Over $2000 out the door? Sorry. I can prep and service my own scoot and GS will deliver one to my door for $1000 to $1200 depending on the model. And they sell a good quality scooter.

Now I understand there are places in major metropolitan centers that sell 150cc scooters for around $1200 out the door, but not here in the sticks. Until China scooter shops are totally widespread I need online sellers so I don't have to spend $2000 plus at a shop.

Jun 28, 2009Rating

Tank Sports 250 Touring Scooter Reviewby: 2 Wheel Toystore LLC

Hi, My name is Mark and I am a Tank-Sports Dealer (bummer,you might say). I am a Franchise Dealer for 18 Chinese manufacturers, and know just too well how bad quality can be. But it is the mistake of the buyer not to have a value scooter because it is he which does not value the merchandise he purchases.

You want cheap you go to the cheapest dealer in town or buy from the Internet. The Internet is a good tool to do research but not to buy. The cheapest Dealer in Town is not the best source either. I have to pay all the Licensing, Rent, Insurance, Electricity etc. and am not able to give you Internet Prices and I want to stay in business and not change my place of business every 6 months (like the cheap dealer).

On the other side of the picture, if one of my customers has a problem with his scoot I take care of it, if a Model shows to have a lot of problems I stop selling it. I take warranty very seriously. If you have a problem and you did not abuse your scoot I repair it at no charge.

One of my customers purchased a 260/08 and YES they had a lot of problems, he was driving a Rental-Scooter at no charge for 2 months, but is very happy today. Please, people help your local dealer not the Internet dealer!

You will pay a couple of $100.00 more, but it will pay in the long run. Your local dealer surely takes your scoot in trade to get you upgraded,pays partially your motorcycle endorsement, and tells you that you get a $100.00 Tax-Refund on the purchase and,and,and...

Thank you kindly for reading,Mark (2 Wheel Toystore LLC)

Jun 11, 2009Rating

Tank Falls Flatby: KZ1000st

If Tank is using cheap electrical components doesn't it stand to reason that other parts are cheap too? Their Touring 260cc Scooter is a Vog. Go to Scootdawg.com and see how many people with them have trouble. They are the worst. The first time I read about an unhappy China scoot owner it was a Tank. He had a major oil leak and got no satisfaction from them. I've taken a China scoot apart and they're not nuclear subs. It takes a real uncaring company to build a bad one. Tank is tops on my list of quick buck artists.

Jun 05, 2009Rating

vinby: Anonymous

it should be stamped on the frame. its under the access cover for the fuel cap on the 150cc

Jun 04, 2009Rating

need help (vin)by: Help needed

i cant find the vin number on my tank moped its a little 49.9 but i have searched everywhere for the vin and cant find it could someone help me

May 20, 2009Rating

parts availabilityby: Anonymous

Tanks weak link, as it were, seems to be mostly electrical components. Namely, they are saving $ by not investing in the best stators, cdi, ignition, etc. They are getting known for that mostly. Some of the stories in the comments I just don't believe.

May 03, 2009Rating

tanks are junkby: joe

Well, I bought a tank 150 touring DE for $1500 off Scootertronics.com. I get the thing, and a week later the bolts holding the rear end together sheared off, and the inside of the muffler broke.

I got it fixed, to the tune of $200, and then a week later the bolts sheared again. This time I decided to fix it myself and make a few structural upgrades. It held together, but then starting making a clunking noise every time I hit the front brakes. Looks like the caliper is loose, but it won't tighten down.

Then one day my wife went to start it up and it just took off on her, full throttle. She had to jump off to avoid running into traffic. Finally last summer I was driving it home when all the sudden I had no power to the wheel. I pushed it the rest of the way and pulled it apart.

The belt had literally disintegrated. I tried to get a new belt on, but the bolts were stuck tight and I couldn't.

So now I have a $1500 push bike in my shed. And all of this with less than 2000 kilometers! I have sent letters to Tank, including a certified letter threatening legal action, and have not heard a thing back.

The dealer was no better. It took them almost 2 years to even send me the paper work on the bike, and when they did, it was the wrong VIN#!!!

NEVER EVER BUY A TANK SCOOTER. It may seem cheaper at the time, but it will come back to haunt you in the end. Don't make my mistake.

Apr 17, 2009Rating

Complete Crapby: Anonymous

I had two Tank Sporty 150's, one got stolen from the SHOP. They replaced it for a PRICE, and neither made it past 600 miles. Just to get 600 miles on both came with great coaxing, numerous breakdowns & towing charges, while just about everything failed. If you want to work on a scooter, you'd better off building one yourself from the ground up, because on this you'll have to replace everything but the frame.

Apr 04, 2009Rating

Tank Falls Flat!by: EyesLooking

Thanks KZ for opening another line of communication!

Recently, I sent a follow-up to Tank in reference of the dealer not repairing the scooter, closing shop & disappearing! Will the company address the problem? I doubt it. But, it would not hurt to send a certified letter to: Tank Sports Inc; ATT: Steven Hie; 10925 Schmidt Rd; El Monte, CA 91733.
File a complaint with the BBB, which has given Tank Sports an 'F' rating, FTC (they just keep it on record, the State the AG (Consumer Affairs).

KZ introduced me to Scoot Dawg. They are informative and helpful (GardenWeb has a scooter section).

Mar 06, 2009Rating

Tank Falls Flatby: kz1000st

I started a thread at Scootdawg.com forum called Tank Falls Flat when I read about a woman in New Jersey who bought one from a dealer and got no satisfaction with her problems. She can't even get it started and Tank won't intervene. Stay away from the whole brand entirely. Each company specs out components on their scoots when they order from the Chinese and Tank uses the cheapest.

Mar 05, 2009Rating

AWESOME SCOOTERby: yogi

I have the 2008 VOG 260 which is exact the same as the tank. The scooter is awesome.....no problems whatsoever.......its fast its smooth and i love it.
I agree with only one thing in the complain. It is hard to pump the gas in the scoot.........but after few fill ups u get used to it.
If you want a cheap, great looking, fun scoot..........this is it.

Mar 02, 2009Rating

On The Other Handby: Anonymous

A non-running China scooter on Craigslist can be a very good value for those that have the mechanical aptitude to service and repair them. The ScootDawg forum is an excellent research resource.

Feb 28, 2009Rating

Sad Tale, Seanby: Kathi

Thanks for contributing this review! Sorry to hear your sad story, Sean. Sounds as though Tank scooters may not be a great buy. Anyone else here have experience with Tank scooters?

When you're done here, you may also be interested in reading some of these popular pages:

A battery tender like the Battery Tender Jr. can make all the difference in whether your scooter will start right up each spring, after being stored for months.

Just about every scooter owner needs to have a battery tender, sometimes called a trickle charger. Unless you are lucky enough to live in a climate where you can ride all year long, chances are your scooter will be put on ice, figuratively-speaking, for at least a couple months every winter.

One of the key steps in winterizing a scooter is to protect your battery from draining during its "rest" period. This can – and will – happen if you leave your battery sitting untended in your cold scooter over the winter, even if it's in a garage or shed.

The Scooter Life

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